First, let me say that I do understand that you think your actions are reasonable, and I also understand that you think we are being unreasonable in this matter. Your book is important to you, and you know that we are interested in the same kind of things as you are. Please understand also that we do not accuse you of being 'unethical' in any way. However, the fact that you were writing a book was actually obvious to us- we recognise questions like this easily because we have had experience of them before, from other people.

We are a website designed for people who are obsessed with Jane Austen to chatter away to others who are obsessed with Jane Austen. Yet, the Internet being what it is, there are literally thousands of people, Austen-lovers or not, who view us as a source of information. We regularly (that is two or three times per day) get requests for help with school homework, or university papers. Less frequently, (perhaps once or twice per month) we get requests for help with dissertations, questionnaires, professional projects, market research, research for historical novels, or are viewed simply as a market for something that somebody has produced- a novel, a show,or a consumer product.

It seems that there are only two course of action open to us. Either we remain a cohesive, Austen-loving community , entirely self-supporting, no matter what it costs, and serving only our Pemberley members, or we open up as a free research resource to all and sundry, taking anybody's questions and being at the whole world's beck and call. We have been offered payment to provide research for authors (we refused),and we have been roundly and publicly abused by various people for being 'unhelpful'. However, we feel strongly that to be a be-all and end-all for the whole of the Internet is not only not in our interests but impossible to actually achieve.

Now, as you say, you are a member of Pemberley, and a welcome one. You are as welcome as any other person, whether Pemberley regular or passing visitor, to look at the L&T archives in the quest for historical information. I'll even go so far as to say that I know there are some interesting posts and several links on the subject of letters and letter-writing in there, which you may well find useful. But please understand that we do not do research to order, for anyone.